Tuesday, November 30

The Naschy Blogathon - Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf continued further...

Dr. Jekyll y el Hombre Loboa.k.a. Dr. Jekyll and the Wolfman - 1972

Paul Naschy enjoyed the good fortune to be the man calling the shots in his films, as he wrote, starred in and even directed many of them. Therefore he, like most good filmmakers, surrounded himself with actors he knew and trusted. Many of the cast members from the film I've been discussing for the Naschy Blogathon, DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN, had either already worked with Naschy or would go on to work with him again in the future. Let’s take a look at the principals in this picture, and their pictorial relation with the Spanish Lon Chaney…

Shirley Corrigan

Shirley plays Justine in this picture, and of course is unable to resist the charms of Waldemar Daninsky. Shirley is stunningly beautiful - I have to seek out more of her work.

She has 24 film credits on IMDB, including, interestingly, an uncredited bit as a partygoer in the Dario Argento film FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET. Her last film was THE LITTLE ARCHIMEDES in 1979. She is one of the few cast members who did not go on to work with Naschy again. This is what she had to say about Naschy in an interview from her website:

"When I first arrived in Madrid and was getting to know Paul Naschy, we would go to his house where he invited me to meet his family - they were all very lovely, and very hospitable. Then we decided we would go out together and talk about the script, but it became impossible because there were about 300 people waiting outside the restaurant for autographs! It was like a stampede, He kept saying to the public: "This is Senorita Shirley Corrigan, a beautiful girl from England. She's bringing me good luck. He was such a generous man. I liked working with him, he was very respectful to me and always said, 'You're much too good!'"Her official website is: http://www.shirleycorrigan.com/

Jack Taylor – Dr. Henry Jekyll

Jack plays the cool Dr. Henry Jekyll, a man harboring a long secret love for Justine. He is the grandson of the infamous Dr. Jekyll, and tries to help cure Waldemar of his curse, thanks to the pleading of Justine.

He was born in Oregon City, Oregon in 1926. He made over a hundred movies ncluding CONAN THE BARBARIAN, THE VAMPIRE’S NIGHT ORGY, Jess Franco’s COUNT DRACULA (with Christopher Lee), and THE NINTH GATE. He worked with Paul Naschy in several films – EXORCISMO (1975), DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN (1972), and THE MUMMY’S REVENGE (1973). Worked with Naschy again in 1973 in the giallo EL ASESINO ESTÁ ENTRE LOS TRECE. He is still acting to this day, averaging one or two films a year, and even had a film come out in 2010 called AGNOSIA.

Mirta Miller – Sandra

She plays Dr. Jekyll’s assistant and lover, Sandra. She is a bad, bad woman, and is insanely jealous of Justine. She is the catalyst of the chain of events that bring disaster to Waldemar in London.

Born in 1948, she appeared in 77 movies, including BOLERO with Bo Derek. Her most recent film came out in 2004 titled SUCEDIÓ EN ESPAÑA. She appeared in a number of movies with Paul Naschy including COUNT DRACULA’S GREAT LOVE (1972), VENGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES (1973), DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN (1972), TODOS LOS GRITOS DEL SILENCIO (1975), and EL ÚLTIMO KAMIKAZE (1984, written directed and starring Paul Naschy).

Jose Marco – Imre

Jose plays Justine’s husband in the beginning of this film. Naschy pulls a bit of a Hitchcockian fake out here, introducing us to Imre and leading us to believe he is the lead character. But, like the husbands of beautiful women in many Naschy films, he is quickly disposed of – the easier for Naschy to steal her heart!

Born in 1925 - Although he only appeared in DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN for a brief period he is actually a very well known Spanish actor. He has appeared in close to 80 films including FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (bit part), and HORROR EXPRESS – in fact he had already appeared in more than 60 films by the time DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN was made. He appeared in several other Naschy films including WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN (1971), FURY OF THE WOLFMAN (1972), LOS CANTROBROS (1980 – written and directed by Paul Naschy who also has a role in this one) and EL VÉRTIGO DEL CRIMEN (1970).

Luis Induni – Otvos

Luis plays Otvos, leader of a local group of thugs. He and his men follow Imre and Justine to the graveyard, murder him, and try to rape Justine, before being foiled by an enraged Waldemar.

Born in 1920, Luis died in Dec 1979. He appeared in over 200 titles, including a number of spaghetti westerns. He appeared with Naschy in NIGHT OF THE HOWLING BEAST (1975), EXORCISMO (1975), DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN (1972), DEVIL’S POSSESSED (1974), FURY OF JOHNNY KID (1967), LA DIOSA SALVAJE (1975), SECUESTRO (1976).

Barta Barri – Gyogyo, the inn-keeper

Barta plays Gyogo the Inn Keeper. I really like this character, as it feels like a nod to the Dracula pictures of old, where the local in keeper warns the travelers not to go near the Dracula’s castle. Plus he has a glorious moustache! In just one of many twists in this picture, the inn keeper isn’t exactly what he appears – in fact, he is working in cahoots with Otvos and his men.

Barta was born in 1911 – he made over 130 pictures. He worked with Naschy in the pictures WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN (1971), DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN (1972), THE PEOPLE WHO OWN THE DARK (1976), 1001 NIGHTS (1968).

Luis Gaspar – Thurko, Otvos's thug

I am not 100% sure the thug above is Luis - I could only find two other pictures of him, both recent ones, but I see some similarity between the two and think I have the correct thug...Luis made close to 50 films, including several Naschy pictures: WEREWOLF VS. THE VAMPIRE WOMEN (1971), THE MUMMY’S REVENGE (1973), DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN (1972)

Elsa Zabala – Uswika Bathory

Elsa plays the spooky old witch who lives with Waldemar in his black castle. The townsfolk are all scared of her - until one of them cuts her head off and presents it like a trophy to the angry mob!

Elsa appeared with Naschy in the CURSE OF THE DEVIL (1973), HORROR RISES FROM THE TOMB (1973), VENGEANCE OF THE ZOMBIES (1973), DR. JEKYLL AND THE WOLFMAN (1972).

Even this street walker, the second woman murdered by Daninsky once he wolfs-out in London (and who appears onscreen only for a minute or so), was in WEREWOLF VS THE VAMPIRE WOMAN the year before. She was played by actress Marissa Tovar.

So this was one cast that was pretty familiar with one another. Probably made for a smooth shoot, and certainly one Naschy felt comfortable with.

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